The United Nations has condemned Russian attacks on Sumy city in northeastern Ukraine over the weekend, which damaged a hospital and resulted in multiple casualties.
Matthias Schmale, the UN’s top aid official in Ukraine, reported that the strikes killed and injured several individuals, stressing that health centers should never be targeted. According to local authorities, nine people lost their lives, while 12 were injured in the twin drone attacks, prompting the evacuation of over 120 residents for safety.
The attack in Sumy occurred amid ongoing violence on Monday, including a wave of drone strikes on Kyiv that triggered air defense maneuvers by the Ukrainian military. Media reports indicated further explosions outside the capital as Russian forces launched drone and guided bomb attacks on Zaporizhzhia, damaging railways and buildings. In response, Ukrainian armed forces reportedly shelled Russia’s Belgorod region.
In a related development, UN human rights experts called on Algerian authorities to overturn a prison sentence imposed on poet Djamila Bentouis for her involvement in anti-government protests. Bentouis received a two-year prison term and a 100,000 Algerian dinar fine (approximately $750) for her participation in the Hirak social protest movement through her poetry recitals.
Experts, including Alexandra Xanthaki, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, highlighted that Bentouis’ charges seemed directly linked to her exercise of free expression. The UN experts urged Algeria to respect its international obligations on freedom of expression when Bentouis’ appeal is heard on Wednesday.
